Railway signal torpedo



J. H.'SIC KEL. RAILWAY SIGNAL TORFEDO. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 192;.

1,438,063. Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

' ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, i922,

n rer' JoHnniiaarne'rortsIoKE or seams LAKENEW Jansen J .RAILWAY srenAL-ronrnndQ Application i ean'a 27, 1922. "Serial no, stance To ll w m it my am a Be it known that 1', JOHN HAnnIne'ron s o a citizen of the United States, residing at Spring Lake, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have illvented a certain new and useful Improve; ment in Railway Signal Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in detonating torpedoes of the class used for.

railway signaling purposes, and particularly to the type in which the'exploslve charge is car.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a non-flying torpedo made of paper or like material which will be" completely destroyed or annihilated by the force of the explosion and without producing any flying fragments that might cause injury or darnage. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a torpedo having a relatively broad, shallow, non-metallic casing of suficient length to extend transversely across the rail head, the form of the casing being such as to provide a compact torpedo that can be conveniently handled, that affords 'a broad area of contact with both the rail and the wheel of the locomotive or car so that it will through a slit in the cap and-[is anchored" on secured thereto. As seen in Fig. 3 the be completely crushed when the wheel passes over it, and in which the force of the explosion is from thesides. 7

A further object is to provide a torpedo,

having the ends of the casing strengthened and reenforced with non-metallic caps so as to increase the endwise resistance of the torpedo, whereby to produce a louder detonation, and to concentrate the force of the ex. plosion along the sides of the casing.

A still further object is to provide a con-.

struction wherein the metal fastening straps are anchored in the reenforcing caps and are insulated from and do not come into contactwith the explosive charge or the casing con taining the same.

I attain these objects, as well as others, by

means of the construction and arrangement of parts described in-the following specifica- 7111 th acfc iany g d wi s illu l t-q 7 ing a preferred embodiment of the-invention, rigure l s a perspective view of the 1111- Figure 2 is a 'perspective'view: of the case 1 proved torpedo,

that containstli'e e: ;plosi ve' charge, and

' igure 3 is a perspectivelview ofone f thefreenforcing end caps, showing the fasi i Referring now tothe drad gs, 1 indicates tening strap anchored "therein.

the body portionfof the torpedo consisting of a substantiallyjoblong shaped shallow cas 1 i ing made of waterproof ed paper, 'fibre come stance, which case is adapted to contain and position, or other suitable non-metallic sub-' encase charge 5 detongting 'laowder or" composition, and has its ends closed and sealed by means of folded flaps 2, or other wise, and is of sullicient length to" extend transversely across aTEl-ll head;

3 indicates the non-metallic reenforclng capswhich are preferably made of the same material as-the casing. The caps are shaped";

to fit snugly over the ,ends of thecas'ing -and i v are. "cramped or otherwise secured thereto. i, The caps serve both tostrengthenthe toraedo and to rovide anchora es forthel its toning straps 4L,

The fastening straps 4: are made .of'lead, tin or any other suitable metal adapted to be easily bentjso as; to engageover'or grip 1 the rail he-ad'and therebyfas'ten the torpedo Y a in place. Anend lofv each strap is inserted anchorage maybe easily effected bysplitting the inserted fendof the strap-and bending pedo the. fastening means do not" pass composition but consists of two separate the caps that fit over an end of the case,

Upon detonation of the torpedothe straps will fall harmlesslyfon the roadbe'd at either side of the rail. i v What I claim is:

1. A railway signal" torpedo comprising a broad shallow inclosing case nadeof nonmetallic material and having ol'ojsedends,

through the case that contains the detona'ting non-metallic caps fitting tightly over-the closed ends of the case, and alpair 'offiex'- ible rail-engaging strapseach having an'end anchored in one of the caps- 2. A railway signal torpedo'comprising a non-metallic inclosing case having closed ends non-n1etalhc caps fitting'tightly over the closed ends of the case and flexible raila substantially oblong-shaped non-metallicinclosing case having flap closures at either end, non-metallic caps fitting over the ends of the case and crimped thereto, and flexible rail-engaging straps secured to said caps and extending in opposite directions.

A railway signal torpedo comprising a paper inclosingcase having closed ends, said case. having relatively broad parallel top and bottom'walls and having relatively narrow parallel side Walls, paper caps fittin tightly over the closed ends of the case and rail-engaging straps secured to said caps.

insane-s 5. A railway signal torpedo comprising a broad shallow paper inclosing case having flap closures at either end, paper caps fitting over the closed ends of the ease and crimped thereto, and a pair of flexible rail engaging straps each having an end anchored in one of the caps.

6. A railway signal torpedo comprising a paper inolosing case, paper caps fitting over the ends or" the case and secured thereto said caps'each having a slit for receiving an end of a flexible metal strap, a pair of flexible metal straps each having an end. in-,

serted through the slit injthe cap, the'inner end of the strap being split longitudinally and bent in opposite directions to anchor the strap in the cap.

JOHN HARRINGTON SIGKEL. 

